Congratulations on your new license Steve! Since you asked for advice, mine would be, take it one step at a time. It never ceases to amaze me, after 59 years in this hobby, that how I think I will use my new radio stuff often doesn't turn out to be how I actually do use it when I get it.
I contest quite a bit. When I was planning for my K3, I watched the [nearly interminable] thread on roofing filters and finally concluded I would start with the "stock set," undoubtedly adding some later once I got some experience with the radio. My K3 is S/N 642, I still have the two stock filters and no others and I'm a very happy ham. Fixed and mobile operation place very different demands on radios, antennas, *and* the operator. I've used PC-based SDR's like the Flex's and they don't "fit" me. I guess I'm a dinosaur but a radio is something that sits on my desk with one, maybe two big knobs, and a lot of little ones, a few of which I know how to use. I use the computer to log in contests, and the connection to the radio makes sure that the logger knows what band/mode I'm on. To tune, I grab "the big knob." Until you know how *you* operate and use your radios, and trust me, it won't be like I operate mine, it will be very hard to come up with a universal solution, fixed and mobile, low and high power, that actually fits you. I think you live in Eureka CA. Ham radio microphones are exempt from the "hands free cell phone law" in our state, but I sure wouldn't want to have to argue with the CHP officer that a computer screen I was looking at instead of the road while driving was "just like a mic." Again, I'd tackle one thing at a time, and in this hobby, it's really "Antennas, Antennas, Antennas." Again, congratulations on your new license! Welcome to a whole bunch of new sandboxes in the ham radio playground. :-) 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012 - www.cqp.org > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steve Hamon > Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:53 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Elecraft] Flex 3000 or KX3 > > Hello--I am perplexed about the choice of which HF rig to get. I just > passed my General and am trying to put together my first "shack." I have > heard fantastic, rave reviews about the Flex and also about the KX3. My > only concerns about the KX3 is that after putting out about $1,500 for the > basic KX3 and Tuner and Filter added, I still will only have a 10 watt > unit. I want it to be my mobile and my base unit. Will I have to chuck > out another thousand bucks for the 100 watt amp? ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
